Page 2 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • Feb 2004
Swindon's children's cancer
' I Charles Lucas
NI
R I V A T E & Marshall charity marks twenty years
(Kstablished over 10 Tears
Too few people know about CALM, the local organisation run totally by
'WE COME TO YOU volunteersto support families with children suffering from cancer. Hopefully
AT HOME OR WORK' this is going to change in 2004 writes Don Macarthur.
0 FREE This Spring narks the 20th anniversary of the day way back in April
We're on '; collection & delivery 1984 when a group of parents decided to set up a Swindon based
charity called the Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Movement or
1§* Servicing & repairs
CALM. Those parents had a lot in common:
BIKE WE ALSO SELL • they all had a son or daughter tions to research, and the list goes
DOCTOR
side • New cycles with cancer or leukaemia, or had on.
* Parts & accessories recently lost a child to the disease CALM paid for two playrooms
• they all wanted to maintain some and a parents' room at the old hos-
sort of normal family life, very of- pital. But for the PFI restrictions
For experienced, practical help call
ten with other children would have done the same at the
Swindon 5 110 55 So< <„oas
• they often had employers who new one.
didn't understand
why they couldn't "may
THE COMPLETE CURT ►mm u predict when they
might need time
off
CURTAINS FABRICS
• they were all ex-
Free estimating, design and • Poles & curtain tracks pected somehow
advice • 100s of stock fabrics from £1/metre to cope at the same
Make-up service • Lining from £1.50/metre ti me with very
Blinds, pelmets, swags & tails • Headings from 40p/metre painful treatments,
Rail fitting service • Cushion inners from £2 each involving exhaust-
Home visits by appointment • 100s of trims from 75p/metre ing visits to the old
Rails & boards made-up ° All accessories & holdbacks available Princess Margaret
Hospital and to
other hospitals fur-
ther afield - very
regularly but often
very unexpectedly
VISIT OUR SHOWROOM at 252 CRICKLADE RD
and over a period
or call Tracey or Amanda on 01793 611051
of months or years
• and so, not sur-
prisingly, they Melinda Messenger was the special guest at the
HK'97 P = oughly exhausted, Golf Club in 2002. Don Macarthur is on the left
CALM annual golf fund-raising day held at Wrag Barn
were all thor-
Most charities with outgoings
physically and emotionally.
Twenty years on CALM is still
rr run by parents who can under- on this scale employ fundraisers
and marketing experts to keep the
fhe Quality Chinese takeaway in Swindon stand from their own painful ex- money coming in, and more are
perience something of what other going down that road. CALM
D^ families are going through, and members don't want to make that
who can build close local friend-
switch and lose the personal vol-
^ C ships. These families welcome all untary touch.
Link readers and other Swindon
the practical support that CALM
provides, but they possibly appre- families, schools and businesses
ciate even more the knowledge that have been excellent in raising
there's always someone ready to money for CALM year after year.
listen and chat — and 'understand'. The imagination of children and
The 18 families on treatment to- adults alike in thinking of new
day would all still recognise the fundraising ideas is quite amazing.
O list of strains and stresses faced by Many people are currently sav-
their 1984 predecessors, but ing up their used stamps (British
equally, they all know that through or foreign, common or rare) and
the work of CALM, life is just a unused foreign coins for CALM.
little bit easier to bear. Teams of four golfers are needed
CALM members are determined to join our 11th annual golf day on
to ensure that this support remains 24 )une.
available into the future.The or- These are all painless but very
ganisation has no salaries or office effective ways of supporting this
accommodation to pay for: it's run vital local charity. And of course
by volunteers and it's local, be- donations of money or goods to
W cause that safeguards the close auction or raffle are always wel-
• personal support that the families come.
find so valuable.
If you could make this year spe-
But it's not cheap to maintain cial for CALM by either helping to
two convalescent caravans at the raise money or spreading the word
seaside, or to arrange trips and about its work, please call 01672
social events, or to contribute to 841098 or mail calmpost@
specialist family support, or to hotmail.com
make regular, substantial dona- www.calmcharity.org